IDS 2018: The Latest Trends In Home And Design

Above clockwise: Modern, minimalist pendant lights from Anony Studio can update any space; Kitchens go bold with green care of Sarah Richardson for Monogram; W Studio creates a modern trompe l'oeil rug perfect for any modern home

IDS 2018 has just wrapped in Toronto. The annual meeting of design minds and design brands is seen as the place to discover the latest trends in design. Further, it often sets the tone for the proceeding year in interiors. So what did IDS 2018 have in store for us all? Don’t worry, if you couldn’t make it this time around. We have rounded up our top five trends from the annual design show.

Light it up
Lighting has become the star of design over the past few seasons. What once was just considered utility has become a focal point in may rooms. Sure, we used to always opt for great chandeliers in our dining rooms but lighting si now stealing the show in every room. From the minimalist modern wonders from Anony Studio to colourful globes from Decimal, lighting proved it was the ‘trend’ that every could incorporate into their homes. And instantly make them look new.

Curves are in
For the past few years interior designers have been removing curves from the home. It was long thought that curved archways made your house dated. But now it seems curves are making a comeback. Perhaps it is a shift in fashion bleeding over into design. Curves are in everywhere. Either way, theses new curves feel natural – more reflective of curves in nature. The collaboration between Caesarstone and Snarkitecture is a prime example. Snarkitecture took a classic substance, stone, known for its more jagged and squared-off uses and transformed in into undulating curves reminiscent of water.

Modern wood
As Canadians we have a love/hate relationship with wood. As a result of being surrounded by forest, our homes have often been filled with wooden features. Or we have avoided them all together. From knotty pine ceilings to raw edge tables, wood always makes an appearance as a ‘trend’ at IDS. This year, wood got updated and felt more modern. Gone were the rustic live edge wonders of the past, replaced by slick, contemporary well built pieces. But what we loved about this ‘new’ wood was that it still showed up off its beautiful grain in a multiple of hues. Our favourite – the minimalist benches from Mobilia x Loic Bard.

Statement details
One of the most talked about and Instagrammed pieces was the photo realistic trompe l’oiel carpets from W Studio. This giant carpet looked like a graffiti-ed tunnel you could literally walk right through. A statement piece that made everyone stop. It seems carpets have become a key way to inject personality into our homes. Gone are the days of boring sisal rugs, replaced with bold and colourful statement rugs in every imaginable style. It’s almost like placing art directly on our floors. And we loved it. But the marriage between floors and art didn’t stop there. U31 Design used large scale blow ups of photographs and works of art to cover their floors (and walls for that matter). Creating a great play with scale – and making a big statement.

We are all connected
We are all on our way to become cyborgs via our attachment to personal technology. Moreover, it seems are homes are becoming smarter and more reliant on technology to make our lives better. Kohler has partnered with Amazon’s Alexa to make your entire bathroom controllable by your virtual assistant. Aptly called Kohler Konnect, now Alexa can do everything from preheat your toilet seat to adjust your shower temperature dependent on the user and time of day thanks to connected bathroom fixtures. Our favourite feature? Alexa can even work with your Kohler shower speaker to play your morning Karaoke songs.

Colour your world
Canadians are often accused of playing it safe when it comes to colour in their homes. But if IDS 2018 is a fore bearer of whats to come, expect lots of colour popping up. And popping into our homes. From beautiful high gloss green kitchens via Sarah Richardson and Monogram to the camouflage modern rocker from Monte Design, colour was everywhere. Although we must admit we didn’t see a trace of Pantone’s Ultra Violet. But we did see quite a lot of millennial pink still kicking around.

IDS Toronto has wrapped up for 2018 but if you are on the west coast you can catch IDS Vancouver September 20-23, 2018.

Christian Dare spent much of his formative years working in the fashion industry as a Visual Manager before pursuing a Masters’ Degree in Design. He is the Principal at Christian Dare Creative, the co-founder of Stylist Box and runs a successful men’s lifestyle blog, Christian Dare Edited,focusing on menswear, interior design and craft cocktails. You can find him online at www.christiandareedited.com or follow him on Twitter @christiandare but he is more fun on Instagram christian_dare.